The Odyssey opens to $124.5 million as Nolan conquers the box office
Christopher Nolan’s R-rated epic scored the year’s third-biggest domestic debut and his largest global opening, according to Variety.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” sailed into theaters with $124.5 million from 3,919 domestic locations over the weekend, according to Variety, giving Universal’s R-rated action epic the third-biggest opening of the year.
The debut trails only “Toy Story 5,” which opened with $159 million, and “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” which began with $131 million. Variety reported that it is Nolan’s strongest domestic launch since “The Dark Knight Rises” opened to $160 million in 2012.
Overseas, the film added $139.6 million from 73 markets. That puts its worldwide start at $264.1 million, which Variety said is Nolan’s biggest global opening, ahead of “The Dark Knight Rises” with $249 million, “The Dark Knight” with $198 million and “Oppenheimer” with $180 million, none adjusted for inflation.
Based on Homer’s ancient epic poem, “The Odyssey” stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, as he tries to return home after the Trojan War. The cast also includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal and John Leguizamo.
The nearly three-hour sword-and-sandal film arrives with strong audience and critic marks. Variety reported that it earned an “A” grade from CinemaScore exit polls and a 95% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film also carries a steep price tag. Variety reported that Universal spent $250 million to make “The Odyssey” and another $125 million to market it worldwide, a costly bet for an R-rated release.
David A. Gross, publisher of the box office newsletter FranchiseRe, told Variety that Nolan has the rare pull to turn a centuries-old story into a mainstream event. “Christopher Nolan is the only filmmaker working today who could take an ancient story like this, attract a cast as sprawling and accomplished as this, and make it a pop culture event,” Gross said.
Premium screens powered much of the launch. Variety reported that premium large formats made up 53% of domestic grosses, with Imax alone accounting for 23% of ticket sales. “The Odyssey” is the first feature shot entirely with Imax cameras, a goal Nolan has described as his “longest-held ambition,” according to Variety.
Imax is giving the film its full global footprint for three weeks, Variety reported. Some 70mm locations have scheduled round-the-clock showtimes, including 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. screenings.
The weekend gave theaters a lift after weaker performances from “Supergirl,” “Minions and Monsters” and Disney’s live-action “Moana.” Variety cited Rentrak data showing domestic ticket sales are about 10% ahead of 2025.
“Moana” took second place with $19 million in its second weekend, down 56% from its $43 million debut. Variety reported the film has reached $82 million domestically and $178 million worldwide against a $250 million production cost.
“Minions and Monsters” and “Toy Story 5” tied for third with $14.8 million each. “Minions and Monsters” has made $137 million domestically and $323 million globally, while “Toy Story 5” has climbed to $430 million in North America and $958 million worldwide, according to Variety.
“Supergirl” fell to ninth place with $1.5 million in its fourth weekend. Variety reported that the Warner Bros. and DC film has earned $69.9 million domestically and $120 million worldwide against a $170 million budget.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.